Omsk and Kazan learning the NY Rangers lesson

[Jim Bob 0]

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/sto.../BNStory/Sports

More proof that money doesn't always buy happiness (or success) at the highest levels of professional hockey:

In Russia, where AK Bars Kazan recruited a veritable who's who of hockey nobility to play this season (including Vince Lecavalier, Dany Heatley, Ilya Kovalchuk, Alexei Kovalev plus goaltender Nikolai Khabibulin), the team finished just fourth in the regular season and opened the playoffs Friday night against fifth-seeded Lokomotiv Yaroslavl, a team that could give them some trouble. In fact, Yaroslavl won the opening game by a 2-1 margin. In Russia, where the opening round is only a best-of-five series, it puts Kazan two games away from elimination, this after the region's oligarchs put up millions to coax high-priced NHL talent to their city in order to win a championship in the 1,000th year anniversary of the region.

Avangard Omsk, the defending Russian champions and the team owned by billionaire Roman Abramovitch, finished sixth and thus, started playoffs on the road against third-seeded Metallurg Magnitogorsk, a team backstopped by San Jose Sharks' goaltender Evgeni Nabakov. Omsk, a team that includes Jaromir Jagr and others, was crushed in its opening game, 5-2. Despite winning the European champions tournament in St. Petersburg in January, Omsk would be deeply distressed to exit the playoffs in the opening round.

[Kovy_Ribs_Fedo 3]

I bet Kazan will win the series thought...

[Jim Bob 0]

I bet Kazan will win the series thought...

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/news_story.asp?id=119209

How much you want to bet?

[Borsch 0]

AK Bars is out (sorry Kovy ;) )

Kazan Rangers did fit them pretty well, I have to say. To summerise:

1. And probably the biggest problem: the players did not care for their team. No heart, commitment - yeah, I hate cliches, but it was so obvious.

2.I can not blame it all on the players though - coaching of this team was abismal (it showed on their powerplay -which sucked all season, breakout - which was was toooo individual toooo many times and has always lacked cohesivness, offensive zone set up was always lacking imagination and team play).

3.The air, the atmosphere surrounding this Ak Bars club was bad. Little team spirit was ever shown.

4. It was not poular in Russia. Kazan is the capital of Tatarstan, a russian republic. When a guest team they were jeered like a foreign club:blink:

5. TOO MANY CHANGES BROUGHT IN. Yes, Moscow Dynamo is similarly stacked and is no 1, but I still think that the best way to go is to inforce all positions attack (couple of world class players there), D (one great offensive NHL D would be great) , NHL goalie. The rest of the team should be left alone. Avangard have done that ( Jagr, Tverdovsky (what a an amazing quaterback!), Maracle - and have demolished everybody on road to their European championship. Metalurg Magnitogorsk have done that ( Elias, Sikora; Gonchar, Nabokov) and and are giving tremendous grief to a fantastic Avangard team in the play-off series right now - the series will be decieded in fith, final game.

"Rangers" nick does not suit Omsk Avangard - no way. They're a great team - win or lose and their games have been the best I have watched this year (including the World Cup and Juniors WC). Fantastic breakout, AWESOME PP, typical russian "pedal to the metal" gun-ho style... Magnitogorsk (their opponents) are my second favourite team for this year.

PS I am not sorry for Bars - Heatly was good but we'll probably see him at the WC in May, Vinny was invisible, Kovalev will play for Russia in the Swedish games and the Worlds. The rest I do not care about and the team was rubbish to watch. Very disjointed.

[Adam91 0]

ya some of there players were minimal NHL'ers (Slava Kozlov, Denis Arkhipov) and borcsh covered pretty much everything else. Only in Russia would you start Fred Brathiwate over Happibulin

[JR Boucicaut 3801]

My boy Normie's still in Russia? I could've sworn Maracle would've been back on the reservation drinking by now.

That was one crazy mofo to hang out with.

[bobbyorio 0]

Don't underestimate Abramovich.

Look at Chelsea football club this year in England.

Lets just say the richest man in Russia(thats not in jail) could buy whatever league he wanted to win including the NHL!

Bound to get a response.

[Borsch 0]

My boy Normie's still in Russia? I could've sworn Maracle would've been back on the reservation drinking by now.

That was one crazy mofo to hang out with.

He is in Russia and he's playing GREAT. Played about 90% of all Avs games, all of their key games. Do you know him personally?

Only in Russia would you start Fred Brathiwate over Happibulin

- I think too much was expected from Habibulin - he's Kazan native and all. He had a poor team in front of him, was letting in goals... so the crappy AK Bars management decieded to bench him.

minimal NHL'ers (Slava Kozlov, Denis Arkhipov)

- Slava kozlov is a good player on big ice and he's proved it in Khimik where he was playing before trade to AK Bars. Ak Bars problem was that they've played too direct, too individual and too predictable.

[MDE3 0]

My boy Normie's still in Russia? I could've sworn Maracle would've been back on the reservation drinking by now.

That was one crazy mofo to hang out with.

His uncle was the caretaker on my dad's farm "Hooker Maracle"..they all like a nip every now and then....

[JR Boucicaut 3801]

Yes, he used to play in Orlando.

[Borsch 0]

Omsk Avangard are through! They were two games down in the best of five series against superb Magnitogorsk team and they have won the series in OT today. Jagr scoring one of his best goals ever for an 4-3 OT winner. (Maracle was big too ;);) )Omsk will play Moscow Dynamo in the semifinals (Datsyuk, Ovechkin, Frolov, Samsonov, Afinogenov and Co).

What a game this was though. WOW Sushinsky has tied the game up with only seconds left in the 3rd period... what a game :)